Change speed transmission



March 26, 1940. w. R. COUGHTRY CHANGE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed Aug. 24, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 559 9 az/zzzzz flms u ww,

March 26, 1940; w. R. COIJGHTRY CHANGE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed Aug. 24, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bnbentor lwzzzmrezbz wg I I We;

March 26, 1940. t w. R. QCOUGH-TRY 2,195,269

CHANGE SPEED TRANSMISSION Filed Aug. 24, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3nvcnfor Gttorneg Patented Mar. 26, 1940 I UNITED STATES;

OF] we This invention relates to change speed mechanism for motor vehicles and has been designed for changing the gear ratio by manually" operable I means conveniently located for operation. It p'rovidesa so-called remote control wherein-novel structural arrangements have been made which constitute the subject matter of this application.

'; Anobject of the invention is the avoidance of the conventional shift lever extending fromthe gear box through the floor of the car body.

A further object is the location adjacent the steering wheel of a manually operable lever which performs the function of the conventional shift lever.

v In the accomplishment of the object of them vention certain novel structure has been adopted I in the gear box and in the connection between the manually operable lever and the modification m'within the gear box. The modified construction of the mechanism within the gear housing is more,

particularly'the subject matter of this application; I i

The invention is illustrated by the accompanyf ing drawings wherein: 3 2 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembly used in making gear ratio changes. 7

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure ,1.

' Figure 3 is a View in elevation, partly in section,

of parts mounted on the steering column.

Figure 4 is a view seen; from line 4--4 of Figure3. Figure "5 is a section through the steering column showing the gear shifting members elevation, the view being substantially that seen from line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an' elevation ofthe side'of the changing speed gear housing. Figure 7 is a top plan view of the same with the cover broken away.

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of FigureZ'L;

Numeral l I shows the'frame of a motor vehicle, the engine and clutch housing being 'marked I 3 and gear housing represented by numeral IS.

The hand steering wheel I! operates a steering shaft; not shown, within a fixed steering column is. Alongside the steering column is a tubular shaft 2 Its upper end is rotatably journaled in a bearing 23 located within a recess of the signal switch housing 25, which is fixed in position and relative to which'there rotates the hub l'lcj of the steering wheel. Immediately above the end of shaft 2| there is a thrust washer 21, a steel washer 29 and a bowed spring Washer-3|,-the spring washer engaging the bottomf of the recess as shown. A'socket member 33 is threadlever designated as awhole by numeral 9!.

ed, to the upper n of a rod 35 located within thetubular shaft 2|. Welded to shaft 2| as at 31 is a. control lever housing 39. .Withinhousing 39'is a lever 4|. The lever is provided with a spherical .member 43 surrounded by the flared 35 end 45 of thehousing 39and by a cap 41 threaded to the housing 5A suitable washer 49 preferably made from lubricant carrying fabric is located 'betweenthe parts 43 and 41. .The lever 4| has a hand knob. 5|. Theworkend of lever 4| enters 10 a pocket 53 ofthe socket member. A cup 55 is pressed axially by a spring 51 in abutment with the end of the socket member, the cup engaging the rounded end of the lever 4|. This spring 51 and a spring 59seated in ajterminal recess 6| of la the lever and engaging .a'wall of the socket pro- .vide anti-rattling means. It will be evident that since the inner. end of the lever is received within the pocket. 53ofthe socket 33 a vertical reciprocation of, lever 4| about fulcrum 43 functions to reciprocate rod 35. This reciprocation of rod 35 is used to make a selection of shift rails as will, be explained below. Thereafter lever 4| is rocked horizontally carryingthe housing 39 with it and rotates-tubular shaftZl about its axis. This ro- 25 .tation is used to'reciprocatethe shift rails and thus to position the gearsand clutches for the several driving ratios.

The lower: end of tubular shaft 2| is journaled in abea'rin'g 63 located within a two-part brack- 30 et 65, the parts of which are secured together and .to the steering column by fastening means 61. An adjusting lever 69 has a hub portion surrounding the tubular shaft 2 Thefopening in the hub of lever 69 has oneor more flat surfaces engag- 35 ing like surfacesmilledon shaft 2| whereby the lever '39 may not rotate relative to the shaft. Operatinglever H has a forked end 13 partially surrounding the shaft. The operating lever may be rotated for adjustment purposes about the axis oftheshaft and then secured to lever 69 in its selected position, lever '69 having a slot 15 to receive the adjustable securing means TI. The

levers are held in their axial position by a nut 19 threaded to shaft. 2|. A link 8| has an angular Q5 end83 extending through an opening in lever H.

The lever and link are connected by suitable connecting means 85to accommodate the necessary relativefmotion therebetween. The bracket 65 has a curved arm 81 terminating in an eye 89 to 50 rotatably support the'mid portion of a two-arm One arm .93 of the lever is suitably connected by connecting means with a stem 91 extending from a nut Sladjustably threaded. on the end, of a ments of shaft adjacent the side of the transmission housing I15.- Rotation of lever I09 operates to'position the clutches and gears for the several speed ratios.

Prior to the rotation of lever I09 a selection'is made as between the high speed rail'and'the low speed rail by a proper rotation of lever I.

through the instrumentality of the before-men tioned link IOI. Figure 7 shows only a partof the change speed mechanism. There is agear II3 slidable axially to effect lowspeed and re-" verse driving. This gear is moved by a fork. I I5 carried by a reciprocable rail II'I.- The shaft II9 isreciprocable in two directions for engaging a high speed clutch and a second speed clutch. Reciprocation is effected by means of a fork I2I ,engaging the shaft II9 and carried by a slidable rail I23. The selection of railsis made by re ciprocating a selector shaft or rockshaft I25 into positions inwhich one rail may be reciprocated and the other be locked from reciprocation. Rotation of the selector shaft, after having been reciprocated, produces the reciprocation of the se lected' rail. The rails have notches IZ'I on their adjacent sides which notches are adapted to be selectively engaged with arms or cams I29, I29 carried by shaft I25, the engagement being effected selectively by the reciprocating move- I25. After the engagement of cam I29 with rail I23 as shown in the drawing, shaft I25 is rocked by the rotation of lever I09 mounted onthe end of said shaft to effect the clutch engagements for third speed or for second speed. Rockshaft I25 is circular in section. It has grooves I3I and I33. Groove I3I has a rounded contour which corresponds to the outline. of rail I23. When the parts are positioned as shown, rail I23 may reciprocate for the reason that groove I3I is in registration with the shaft 123. At the same time that part of shaft I25 outwardly from groove I33 is seento be located within a groove I35 of rail III. This groove I35 is rounded to fit the rounded contour of shaft I25.

In consequence, rail III is held from reciprocawith the rail. The construction provides a suit-.

able end abutment wall which may be engaged by the ends of a lever I39 carried by a vertically disposed rockshaft I II journaled in the gear casing. Lever III referred to above .is connected to the end of rockshaft I II outside the gear housing. When lever I I I is rocked it rotates the rockshaft MI and the lever I39 moves the rockshaft I25. By making the groove I33 as described the I shaft I25 not only functions to reciprocate rail I I! when in one position and to lock it from reciprocation in the other position of adjustment of shaft I25 but the construction provides a very convenient expedient for shifting the rockshaft axially. For convenience in operation a booster spring is shown on the'drawing and marked I43.

It is secured to the gear housing and to the lever I09. This spring is under maximum tension when the lever I09 and theshaft I25 are in a position corresponding to the neutral position of the gears and clutches. When the rockshaft is turned in either direction from this neutral position the spring I43 assists in completing the shifting movement.

Briefiy'described, the operation is as follows: Spring I05 tends to hold the rod 35 in its upper ,position and the rockshaft I25 in the position shown, the position required for subsequently shifting to highl'speed and second speed. In this position rail III is locked from; reciprocation out of its neutral position. Rotation of the hand lever, together with its housing 39, operates to rock shaft I25 through the intermediate linkage,

such rockshaft rotation shifting the rail I23 to efiect high speed or second speed as the case may be. For low speed and reverse the hand lever 4| is lifted. This pushes rod 35 downwardly and by means of lever 9|, rod IBI is pulled to rock lever III'. This'causes the rockshaft I4I to rotate on its axis and lever I39, because of its terminal en-' selectorshaft rotation in a selected position of axial reciprocation, said selector shaft having a groove of uniform depthysaid groove being in the path of movement of said rail when said selector shaft is in said selected position, said railhaving a curvilinear recess to receive apart ofjsaid selector shaft disposed axially from its groove in a second position of axial reciprocation of said selector shaft to prevent reciprocation of said rail, and means to axially reciprocate said selector shaft comprising a lever having an end located in said selector shaft groove.

.. 2 In change speed transmission, a reciprocable rail, means associated with said rail to introduce a plurality of driving. ratios, a reciprocable selector shaft extending at, right angles to said rail, said selector shaft having an arm to operably engage and reciprocate said rail in response to selector shaft rotation in a selected position of axial reciprocation, said selector shaft having a groove of uniform depth, said groove being in the path of movement of said rail when said selectoryshaft is in said selected position,gsaid rail havinga curvilinear recess to receive apart of said selector shaft'disposed axially from its groove in a second position of axial reciprocation of said selector shaft to prevent reciprocation of saidrail, and means to axially reciprocate said selector shaft comprising a rockshaft, a lever extending therefrom and entering the groove of the selector shaft, said rockshaft having a second lever arm whereby it may be rotated.

'3. In change speed mechanism, shift rails, a

selector shaft extending transversely of said rails,

- of which is engaged-by the arm of the selector shaft, one of said selector shaft grooves being of uniform depth and means including a lever. projecting into said last named groove. to reciprocate said selector shaft.

4. In change speed mechanism, shift rails, a

' selector shaft extending transversely of said rails,

said rails having notches on adjacent faces and said selector shaft having arms to selectively engage said notches in response to axial reciprocation thereof, said rails having rounded grooves to receive "said selector shaft slidably and selectively whereby the engagement of saidselector shaft with a groove of one of said rails prevents;

reciprocation of said rail, said'selectorf shaft formed with grooves located adjacent the arms thereof to selectively register with said rails in response to saidreciprocation, means to reciprocate saidselector shaft including a movable part entering one 'dffsaid selector shaft grooves.

, ,5. In change speed transmissions, twoparallel reciprocable rails, means associated with said rails and operable in responsetomovements thereof from predetermined positions for activating a I plurality of; driving ratios, a reciprocable; and rotatable selector shaft extending at right angles to-said rails, lever arms on said selector-shaft adapted to. selectively engage said rails as the selector shaft is 'reciprocated, said rails having formations to register with said selector shaft in said predetermined positions, said selector shaft having grooves,"one adjacent each lever arm, each said groove being adapted to register with the adjacent rail simultaneously with-the engagement [of] the lever arm with that rail,

means to rotate said selector shaft,and means to reciprocate said selector shaft'and including a movable part entering one of said selector-shaft grooves.

1 yWILLIAM R. COUGHTRY. 

